Night Shift by Nora Roberts Read Free Book Online Page A

a number of suspects who have priors for obscene or harassing phone calls. With this latest development, we’ll put a tap on your private line.”
    “Latest development.” It only took Deborah a moment. “Oh, Cilla, not here. He didn’t call you here.” Temper forgotten, she threw her arms around her sister. “I’m sorry.”
    “It’s nothing for you to worry about.” When Deborah stiffened, Cilla drew back. “I mean it, Deb. It’s nothing for either of us to worry about. We’ve got the pros to do the worrying.”
    “That’s right.” Althea rose. “Detective Fletcher and I have over fifteen years on the force between us. We intend to take good care of your sister. Is there a phone I can use to make some arrangements?”
    “In the kitchen,” Deborah said before Cilla could comment. She wanted a private interview. “I’ll show you.” She paused and smiled at Boyd. “Would you like some coffee, Detective?”
    “Thanks.” He watched her—what man wouldn’t?—as she walked from the room.
    “Don’t even think about it,” Cilla mumbled.
    “Excuse me?” But he grinned. It didn’t take a detective to recognize a mother hen. “Your sister—Deborah, right?—she’s something.”
    “You’re too old for her.”
    “Ouch.”
    Cilla picked up a cigarette and forced herself to settle on the arm of a chair again. “In any case, you and Detective Grayson seem well suited to each other.”
    “Thea?” He had to grin again. Most of the time he forgot his partner was a woman. “Yeah, I’m one lucky guy.”
    Cilla ground her teeth. She hated to think she could be intimidated by another woman. Althea Grayson was personable enough, professional enough. Cilla could even handle the fact that she was stunning. It was just that she was so
together.
    Boyd rose to take the unlit cigarette from her fingers. “Jealous?”
    “In your dreams, Slick.”
    “We’ll get into my dreams later.” He lifted her chin up with a fingertip. “Holding on?”
    “I’m fine.” She wanted to move, but she had the feeling he wouldn’t give her room if she stood. And if she stood it would be much too easy to drop her head on his shoulder and just cave in. She had responsibilities, obligations. And her pride. “I don’t want Deb mixed up in this. She’s alone here at night while I’m at work.”
    “I can arrange to have a cruiser stationed outside.”
    She nodded, grateful. “I hate it that somewhere along the line I’ve made a mistake that might puther in danger. She doesn’t deserve it.”
    Unable to resist, he spread his fingers to cup her cheek. “Neither do you.”
    It had been a long time since she’d been touched, allowed herself to be touched, even that casually. She managed to shrug. “I haven’t figured that out yet.” She gave a little sigh, wishing she could close her eyes and turn her face into that strong, capable hand. “I’ve got to get ready to go to the station.”
    “Why don’t you give that a pass tonight?”
    “And let him think he’s got me running scared?” She stood then. “Not on a bet.”
    “Even Wonder Woman takes a night off.”
    She shook her head. She’d been right about him not giving her room. Her escape routes were blocked by the chair on one side and his body on the other. Tension quivered through her. Pride kept her eyes level. He was waiting, damn him. And unless he was blind or stupid, he would see that this contact, this connection with him, left her frazzled.
    “You’re crowding me, Fletcher.”
    In another minute, just one more minute, he would have given in to impulse and pulled her against him. He would have seen just how close to reality his fantasy was. “I haven’t begun to crowd you, O’Roarke.”
    Her eyes sharpened. “I’ve had enough threats for one day, thanks,”
    He wanted to strangle her for that. Slowly, his eyes on hers, he hooked his thumbs in his pockets. “No threat, babe. Just a fact.”
    Deborah decided she’d eavesdropped long enough